The Bishops of England & Wales COVID-19 Pandemic - 24th March 2020
This advice will be reviewed and developed as necessary .
Parishioners will not be able to gather together for Mass or worship from Friday 20th March until further notice. The obligation for the faithful to attend Holy Mass on a Sunday or Holy day of Obligation is removed.
The letter from the Bishops' Conference announcing this decision and full information can be found on the Bishops Conference site.
Fr Tom and Fr Sebastian will continue to celebrate Mass for the intentions of the parish but this will be done in private.
Baptisms should be deferred until such time that the public health advice is that congregations can gather safely.
Confessions can be heard as long as hygiene and social distancing requirements are observed.
First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion celebrations should be postponed until a time that allows for families and friends to gather safely within our churches.
The celebrations of Confirmation should be deferred until such time that the public health advice is that congregations can resume public worship.
If possible, the celebration of the sacrament of Matrimony should be deferred until such time that people can gather in numbers safely. However, if this is not possible and only in the most pressing of circumstances, then those present for the marriage should be restricted to the celebrant, bride and groom and immediate family, and if necessary, the legal Registrar.
Anointing of the Sick - No pastoral visits should be made to people who are self-isolating until the isolation period ends. However, Fr Tom and Fr Sebastian can give phone support. When anointing the sick, the Oil of the Sick can be applied using a cotton bud which can be burned afterwards and the priest can then extend his hands over the sick person for laying on of hands, without physical contact. This has been confirmed as a valid mode of celebrating the sacraments which involve “laying on of hands.” Visits to people in care homes or hospitals should follow advice from the staff on infection control.
Funerals - The funeral service should take place at the graveside or at a crematorium, subject to the conditions laid down by the cemetery or crematorium authorities. Arrangements should be made for a Mass to be celebrated in memoriam when congregations are allowed to gather.
All meetings and functions in St Richard's, Our Lady of the Assumption and St Peter's will be cancelled until further notice.
Parishioners will not be able to gather together for Mass or worship from Friday 20th March until further notice. The obligation for the faithful to attend Holy Mass on a Sunday or Holy day of Obligation is removed.
The letter from the Bishops' Conference announcing this decision and full information can be found on the Bishops Conference site.
Fr Tom and Fr Sebastian will continue to celebrate Mass for the intentions of the parish but this will be done in private.
Baptisms should be deferred until such time that the public health advice is that congregations can gather safely.
Confessions can be heard as long as hygiene and social distancing requirements are observed.
First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion celebrations should be postponed until a time that allows for families and friends to gather safely within our churches.
The celebrations of Confirmation should be deferred until such time that the public health advice is that congregations can resume public worship.
If possible, the celebration of the sacrament of Matrimony should be deferred until such time that people can gather in numbers safely. However, if this is not possible and only in the most pressing of circumstances, then those present for the marriage should be restricted to the celebrant, bride and groom and immediate family, and if necessary, the legal Registrar.
Anointing of the Sick - No pastoral visits should be made to people who are self-isolating until the isolation period ends. However, Fr Tom and Fr Sebastian can give phone support. When anointing the sick, the Oil of the Sick can be applied using a cotton bud which can be burned afterwards and the priest can then extend his hands over the sick person for laying on of hands, without physical contact. This has been confirmed as a valid mode of celebrating the sacraments which involve “laying on of hands.” Visits to people in care homes or hospitals should follow advice from the staff on infection control.
Funerals - The funeral service should take place at the graveside or at a crematorium, subject to the conditions laid down by the cemetery or crematorium authorities. Arrangements should be made for a Mass to be celebrated in memoriam when congregations are allowed to gather.
All meetings and functions in St Richard's, Our Lady of the Assumption and St Peter's will be cancelled until further notice.